US@UO: Bryan Yazzie

Mar 09, 2017
Sheewa Salehi

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Our US@UO series is a behind-the-scenes look at UO culture. Whether we're following profiling a cool UO employee, or sharing a roundup of recaps from local events, US@UO takes a look at the real people and real stories happening inside Urban Outfitters.

UO Senior Display Coordinator and Artist, Bryan Yazzie, is a multi disciplinary designer who produces furniture, contemporary objects, art and installations that evoke feelings of curiosity and romance. We spent an afternoon with Bryan to discuss the work he creates outside of UO and his upcoming installation here at Space 15 Twenty.

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I am a Senior Display Coordinator for Urban Outfitters in Los Angeles and occasional artist who uses a variety of mediums to share my perspective with the world.

How long have you been with Urban Outfitters?

8 years

Can you share more about your background? Have you always been in the creative field?

I have a degree in Design but I’ve been fortunate enough to have a few different jobs and experiences in my post-college life to really refine my personal tastes and aesthetic. Most notably of which was working for a concrete design firm making sinks, furniture, and objects where I learned a few basic skills and techniques that I’ve later learned to adapt or re-appropriate for other materials.

What’s your favorite material to work with and why?

I’ve been using a lot of metal and concrete lately, mostly because I’m obsessed with creating things that will exist longer than I ever will.

Tell us more about the work you create outside of UO.

My first love is being a musician, something I’ve been doing since my teenage years, and my second love is meeting people with unique ideas and passions that I am able to complement with any of my acquired skills. Once people see what I can do, I’m very often able to help make their dream a little more tangible with either my advice or with my hands.

Describe your aesthetic in 3 words.

A love affair.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

There are so many places it’s hard to narrow them all down, but my favorites are going to concerts, watching films, and admittedly scanning Pinterest and Instagram.

Do you ever get stumped on projects? If so, how do you get yourself out of it.

I get stumped all the time. I’ve learned how to rely on the opinions and critique of people around me to help me sort through the thousands of ideas I might have regarding a project or proposal. So I’m constantly working things out in real time with people to troubleshoot and navigate all of the dead ends and open doors of the projects I’m privileged to work on.

Any dream collaborations?

I would love to help design the visual side of a runway show sometime. I love it when worlds collide like that, you get some of the best art that way.

Lastly, what do you hope for people to take away from your installation?

Some sense of romance in the world. I like to make things that make you look at something or someone in quite literally a different light.